News

Worcester to see the world in grain of rice

DISTURBING world statistics and grains of rice will provide the basis for a fascinating and rather eccentric free show, at St Martin's Parish Centre in Worcester.

Stan's Cafe, otherwise known as the Birmingham Experimental Theatre Company, will arrive at the centre on Monday, July 28 with precisely 989kg of rice, which is one grain for everyone in the UK.

Until August 1, from 11am to 5pm each day, visitors will be dazzled by data, and they will find answers to questions that, perhaps, they have never even thought to ask.

St Martin's churchwarden, Elizabeth Yarker said: "The rice will be weighed out and arranged into a careful compilation of statistics, which will inform, entertain and amaze us.

"Over the course of the week the performers will develop and expand the display, answer your questions and bring us up to date with the latest figures. Refugees from Syria? Infants dying of Malaria in Africa? Prime Ministers who did not go to Oxford?"

Visitors will be asked to examine grains of rice and decide what or who each grain might represent - from Worcester's most famous son, Edward Elgar, to Neil Armstrong walking on the moon, or Andy Murray winning Wimbledon last year.

Mrs Yarker said: "And why rice? Practically, it is remarkably uniform in shape and weight, so statistics can be weighed reliably. It’s easy to buy, unless it's112 tonnes for the whole world. The Parish Centre couldn’t cope with that!

"It’s a widely used food, which adds another resonance. My old recipe book recommends 25 grams or 1 ounce of rice per person for a curry. So, if you follow it, you will probably munch through a grain of rice for everyone in your nearest comprehensive school!"

Stan’s Cafe Director, James, will be in St Martin's church on Sunday 13 July, at 10am, with a grain of rice for every one in Worcester. to show how the show will work.

There will be a donation box while Stan's Cafe is up and running, to cover costs.